2025 Session Ends on a Muted "Wait and See" Approach

Governor Glenn Youngkin has completed his review of the 2025 Bills sent to his desk by the Virginia Legislature.  He made adjustments to the State Budget – supporting key aspects of the $188 Billion budget and showing a key focus on possible impacts of federal layoffs by President Trump.  The legislature has formed a State Task Force to address Federal Government spending reductions and layoffs.   
 
Legislation impacting Transportation design and construction and mining was minimal this year.  Authorizing VDOT to issue up to $1 billion in bonds for special structures enables VDOT and industry to accelerate several projects. 

Legislation Impacting Transportation Construction 

Bills that did pass:   

• SB 1082 (Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Mechanicsville): Authorizes the issuance of Commonwealth of Virginia Special Structures Program Revenue Bonds to accelerate bridge and special structure projects. The debt amount to be authorized is $1 billion, with a limit of $200 million that can be issued in any fiscal year.  This will allow VDOT to accelerate planning and design of the Robert Norris Bridge and 20 other special structures (eight tunnels, eight movable bridges and five fixed-span structures) across the Commonwealth.  Special Structures have characteristics that warrant additional consideration for maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement and include movable bridges, approach spans, tunnels and large significant fixed-span bridges. 
• HB 2074 (Del. Jeion McLure, D-Hampton): Allows certain highway maintenance and towing vehicles to use portable changeable message signs without prior VDOT authorization. VTCA worked with VDOT and AAA to ensure construction firms working on state highways could also use these signs.  
• SB 852 (Sen Craig, R-Chesapeake): Allows a retired sworn law-enforcement officer, defined in the bill, to swear to or affirm a certificate for a vehicle speed violation enforced by a photo speed monitoring device. 
• HB 1887 (Del. Bloxom, R-Mappsville): Mineral Mine Safety Act.  Amends the definition of "surface mineral mine" in the Mineral Mine Safety Act to exclude excavation or grading when conducted solely in aid of onsite farming or construction and under certain conditions enumerated in the bill. The bill amends the definition of "mining" in existing law, relating to the exemption from permits for a mining operation, to extend the required completion time from six months to one year for excavation or grading conducted to construct or expand a farm pond for agricultural irrigation or provision of water for livestock. The bill also amends the qualification requirements for mineral mine inspectors, removes references to the defunct Board of Mineral Mining Examiners, and prohibits the issuance of any permit for a mineral mining or processing operation that includes the use of cyanide or a cyanide compound.  
• HB 2103 (Del. Pugh Kent, R-Warsaw): Requires the Board of Education to amend its Regulations Governing Allowable Credit for Teaching Experience for the purpose of salary placement credit to provide that teachers in the field of career and technical education, where the licensure requirement calls for occupational work experience beyond the apprenticeship level, may be allowed credit for one year of teaching experience for each one or two years of work experience.  

Bills That Did Not Pass: 

• HB 1570 (Del. Bill Wiley, R-Frederick): Would have repealed the Virginia Public Procurement Act’s provision allowing public bodies to require project labor agreements on public works projects. 
• HB 1750 (Del. Baxter Ennis, R-Chesapeake): Sought to allow VDOT to perform nonemergency interstate work in-house rather than contracting it out. 
• HB 1789 (Del. Bobby Orrock, R-Caroline): Proposed allowing public bodies to cancel procurement solicitations if all bids exceeded private sector prices by 50% or more. 
• HJ 449 (Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt): Requested a study on taxing hybrid and electric trucks to offset declining fuel tax revenues. 
• SB 1425 (Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Westmoreland): Would have directed revenue from the expiration of data center tax exemptions toward road and bridge construction. 
• HB 1791 (Del. Sullivan, D-McLean): Creates the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund to assist private developers with non-utility costs associated with the installation of electric vehicle charging stations (i) in certain localities; (ii) on eligible public land, as defined in the bill; or (iii) within one mile of the boundary of eligible public land.  
• HB 2041 (Del. Holly Seibold, D-Vienna): Allows localities to enable “photo speed monitoring devices” as “speed safety cameras” and expands their use to include work zones within the jurisdiction of the locality. This bill passed the House and will now be considered by the Senate. 
• HB1664 (Del. Jones, D-Richmond): Allows localities without a law-enforcement agency to place and operate photo speed monitoring devices. The bill requires such localities to authorize by ordinance officers of the law-enforcement agency with jurisdiction within such locality to issue the summons and to swear to or affirm the certificate stating that the information produced by such photo speed monitoring device shows evidence of a vehicle speed violation. 
• HB 2466 (Del. Glass, D- Norfolk): Creates (i) the Hampton Roads Interstate Highway Corridor Improvement Program for the purpose of planning, developing, financing, building, constructing, and otherwise making infrastructure and safety improvements to, or maintaining the infrastructure of, certain new or existing highway corridors, highways, bridges, and tunnels in Planning District 23 (Hampton Roads) and (ii) the Hampton Roads Highway Coastal Resilience Program for the purpose of planning, developing, financing, building, constructing, and maintaining infrastructure to address transportation infrastructure that is at risk due to recurrent and coastal flooding in Planning District 23. 
• HB 1922 (Del. Jeion Ward, D-Hampton): Establishes the Small SWaM Business Procurement Enhancement Program, requiring executive agencies to increase small SWaM business participation by 3% annually until reaching a 42% target. Highway transportation construction was exempt from this bill.  However, the bill would require VDOT to participate in discussion on increasing SWaM participation.   

What This Means for VTCA Members 

The passage of SB 1082 marks a significant investment in critical infrastructure projects, while HB 2074 enhances safety and communication on job sites. However, the failure of key procurement and funding bills highlights ongoing policy debates over labor agreements, VDOT’s role in project delivery, and alternative transportation funding.  

The Budget also includes an additional $175 million general fund for the I-81 Improvement program based on the funding contingent on the 2024 year-end surplus. This funding not only will expedite construction projects along the I-81 Improvement program but will also save money in the long run. 

Lawmakers will take up his revisions and vetoes on April 2.   

Moving forward, VTCA and industry stakeholders will continue advocating for policies that promote a robust and sustainable transportation network in Virginia.  This November Virginia will vote for the state-wide offices of Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General as well as all 100 House of Delegates.   

Next year’s Session will most likely bring forth many additional ideas and concepts which the the Alliance members must pay close attention to. 

VTCA remains committed to working with industry stakeholders and policymakers to ensure Virginia’s transportation network remains strong, efficient, and well-funded. We encourage members to stay engaged, participate in VTCA’s legislative initiatives, and prepare for an active 2026 session.